Pair faces trafficking, gun charges in Framingham

Thursday

FRAMINGHAM – A Framingham couple had fentanyl-laced heroin, a handgun and ammunition in their Union Avenue apartment on Wednesday, a prosecutor said in Framingham District Court.

Police arrested David Weinstein, 27, and Karen A. Portillo, 18, after an investigation by the MetroWest Drug Taskforce, prosecutor Andrew Boulanger said during the couple’s arraignment.

After an investigation, the task force got a search warrant, targeting Weinstein, for an apartment at 368 Union Ave., the prosecutor said.

When police searched the home, they found a brown powdery substance that tested positive for heroin and fentanyl. They found cash and some of the heroin in a Red Bull can that had been converted to a “hide,” to store the drugs, Boulanger said.

Police found a .40 caliber Glock handgun with one bullet. Police found a clip with five more bullets and a couple of bullets in Portillo’s purse.

Police charged Weinstein and Portillo with trafficking in fentanyl, possession of fentanyl, improper storage of a gun, possession of a large capacity gun without a permit, possession of a gun without a permit and possession of ammunition.

Boulanger asked Judge Martine Carroll to hold Weinstein on $30,000 bail and to hold Portillo on $2,500 bail. He said Boulanger has been convicted of drug charges in the past and has served time for a larceny case.

Weinstein’s lawyer, Bridget Bradley, asked Carroll to set her client's bail at $2,500. She said he was arrested around 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday and questions why police held him until after 9 a.m. on Thursday without bringing him to court in a timely manner.

Portillo’s lawyer, Charles Hughes, argued she should be released. He said Weinstein was the target of the warrant. In addition, he said the trafficking charge likely won’t hold up.

“It’s trafficking of fentanyl when you have 10 grams,” said Hughes. “It’s not 10 grams of fentanyl mixed with some other substance. There’s not going to be 10 grams of fentanyl in there.”

Carroll ordered Weinstein held on $10,000 bail and Portillo on $1,000 bail. They are both due back in court on May 7 for pretrial conferences.

Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date crime news, follow Norman Miller on Twitter @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.